Got the good vibes again, says defending champ Chacarra

Good memories: Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra is keen to find the form and rhythm that saw him win the 2025 Hero Indian Open at the DLF Golf and Country Club. Image courtesy HIO.

By Rahul Banerji

For defending champion Eugenio Chacarra, things haven’t panned out the way he would have anticipated after victory at the 2025 Hero Indian Open.

To date, it remains his only title on the DP World Tour, and despite targeting qualification to the PGA Tour, the Spaniard is still battling to find even keel in his career.

Having turned 26 last week, Chacarra feels he is still some way from achieving the goals he had set after his short flirtation with LIV Golf and subsequent breakthrough win at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

Now back at what he calls one of his favourite courses, Chacarra is keen to turn the page on an indifferent spell that has seen him drop to 149th on the Official World Golf Rankings.

“Obviously, it was a life-changing week last year and since I got here, I feel like the good vibes again,” he told reporters on the eve of the 2026 Hero Indian Open.

“I love it here. I feel it’s a really good test of golf. While I was talking with my caddy, it’s one of the few courses that you need to hit every shot that you have in the bag. 

“So you can’t really have any negatives in your game.

Trending well

“Obviously, my game’s definitely not as good as it was last year, but I think I’m trending in the right direction. 

“I had some issues with my club and stuff, and I’m still trying to get used to it but I think I see some positives these couple days and like I said, the good vibes and the good memories don’t get out of it and I’m excited to start the week.” 

“There is a lot more goals that I had before when I was on LIV. I think I’m working way more harder and way more professional than I was back in the day.  

“And it’s just fun to play a lot of golf. I love the game of golf. That’s why I play it, you know, and just having the chance to compete pretty much every week is something very unique.

“Like I said, I’m trying to become more professional in every aspect of the game, not just the golf, just like the diet, what to eat on the course, how to work out, when to work out, when to stretch.

Learning curve

“All that is stuff that I don’t think I did like other, like the best players in the world do. So I’m still trying to figure out what’s good for my body, for my game and what should I do.” 

Chacarra said the DLF course was playing softer than it had last year and was looking forward to some sunshine to bring some firmness to the greens and fairways. 

“In some ways it’s harder, the rough is higher. But definitely you can tell that there was some rain last couple of weeks and the fairway is a little thicker, they’re a little softer.  

“Definitely the greens are a little softer than we had on the weekend (in 2025). They’re getting firmer, I can say. On Monday the ball was doing some backspin and today, the ball was skipping a little more.  

“I would like to see them a little firmer. Like I said, hopefully it gets that way. But yeah, it’s obviously in tremendous conditions like it always is.”

On what sent his game off track, the Spaniard said, “I wasn’t as healthy as I needed to for how young I was. 

“So we went with my team and see what was needed. I hired new physiotherapists that come with me every week. I got a new workout guy. 

“Did a lot of testing for my nutrition to see what works for my body and what doesn’t. And like I said, I’m still getting used to it. It’s only been a month and a half since I started doing this.

Tough call

“I took away a lot of food that I used to eat that I liked that wasn’t great for me. And it’s just a transition. It’s been tough in a lot of senses, but I know down the road it’s going to be great for me.

“I love Italian food, pizza, pasta … I reduced a lot of my carbs. I’m a big dessert guy, love cookies, love cake, and I’m trying to take away all those calories and stuff that’s not good to away.  

“But one thing that I used to eat a lot was for breakfast was oatmeal. And we find out that it’s actually really bad for me. It kind of like gets my body and stuff more nervous, so that was a tough one.”

About his plans for the tournament proper, Chacarra added, “I’m a winner here. So I know if I play my best, I’m gonna have a chance to win on Sunday.

 “It’s a course that everything can happen, you know, like if you play good you can go low but as soon as you’re a little off, your bogeys start coming.

“It’s just a week to maintain patience, know, doesn’t matter really so  it’s a course that you just need to plug along.”

Also read: Bhatia to headline Hero Indian Open field as event raises purse